Life On Board a Mormon Emigrant Ship - Brigham Young University

WORLD
CONFERENCE
ON RECORDS
PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE
August 12-15, 1980
Life on Boord a
Mormon Emigrant Ship
Do vi d H. Pratt,
Paul F. Smart
Series 418

The statements or
opinions expressed by
speakers at the conference
either verbally or
in written form
are those of the speakers
and do not
necessarily represent
the official position
of the sponsors of
the conference.
Copyright © 1980
All Rights ReseNed
Published in the
United States of America
Corporation of the President of
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints

418/Pratt and Smart
Saying good-bye was no easy task. Most
left family am friends. Sane families
could afford to send only one or two members,
but they would go, giving the rest
of the family added incentive to save
more and make the trip later themselves.
Sometimes those Who went ahead could earn
enough to help the rest of the family
come later. Several older people left as
an example to their children, knowing
that they probably would not survive the
ocean crossing.
For most

418/Pratt and Smart
daily and the following rations weekly:
tlNO and one-half pounds of breadstuff,
one ponnd of wheaten flour, five ponnds
of oatmeal, tlNO pounds of rice (five
ponnds of potatoes could be substituted
for one pound of oatmeal or rice), two
onnces of tea , half a ponnd of sugar ,
half a pound of molasses, and one gill of
vinegar. Split peas, corned beef, and
pork were added to this protein-deficient
diet , 5 along with nrustard and pepper, in
1855.
American ships were reputedly the lNOrst
for shortchanging on the standard provisions.
An Irish philanthropist, Vere
Foster, sailed for lmerica on the Waslr
ington in the fall of 1850 to determine
what typical conditions were like in
steerage for the emigrants he had assisted.
Provisions were not issued at
all for the first five or six days. Having
brought a scale with him, Foster was
able to demonstrate that for the entire
voyage the passengers did not receive
even half of the rations to which they
were entitled. Flour 6 was the only item
issued nearly in full.
The act of 1842 required that passengers
have contract tickets. Some of the
tickets, such as the one in figure 2,
contained a warning for passengers to
take extra provisions. Those who could
afford to, secured extra provisions while
they waited to sail. One journal mentioned
the following extras: good flour,
potatoes, salt preserves, a good cheese
and a cooked ham, eggs, lemons, preserved
fish, plumbs ink, coffee currant, spices,
port wine, pepper, ginger, cayenne
pepper, sweet biscuits, baking powder,
lard, cream of t,rtar, and pickled
cabbage. The naivl.! emigrant, however,
would not bring extra food or food of the
right kind. Ie had to pay dearly for
some of the ship's private prov1s1ons
once he was at sea if he wanted a more
varied menu or if the journey took longer
than planned. Under such trying conditions,
a new mother might lose her milk,
and adequate food for infants was usually
nnavailable.
Besides extra foodstuffs, the passengers
were expected to bring a strawfilled mattress,
bedding, cooking utensils, and
provision boxes. Utensils usually included
cutlery, a tin plate, drinking
can, tin quart pot, and the ubiquitous
chamber pot. Some also brought soap,
candles, towels, rolling pin boards, carpet
slippers, shoe brushes, and, last but
not least, consecrated oil. The extra
food and articles might add another ponnd
to the passage fare. Before 1846 sane of
the Saints brought contributions from
their branches of the Church for the
building of the Nauvoo Temple.
Before the ships lNOuld sail, the local
Church leaders lNOuld organize the emigrants.
Not much is known about the
organization of the first group of MOrmon
emigrants, but the second ship to sail
for America, the North America, had a
presiding elder and six counselors, cho-sen
personally by Brigham Yonng. On 6
February 1841, the day before the Sheffield
sailed, a conncil meeting was held
in Liverpool, to which the ship's captain
was invited. Three MOrmon Apostles organized
the emigrants, with a president as
leader, six counselors, and a clerkhistorian.
By 1848-49, a pattern of
organization had emerged. The presiding
Church authority in England "WOuld choose
the emigrant leader, called the ship's
president, present him with a letter of
authority, and then leave him to organize
the rest of the group during the first
few days at sea.
As the emigrants boarded the ship, the
British Mission president or his agents
would assign them berths • Samuel W.
Richards, president from May 1852 to July
1854, was lmown to lNOrk fran daybr'flk to
2:00 a.m. preparing a ship to sail. All
his "WOrk paid dividends. In 1854 a select
committee of the House of Commons on
emigrant ships concluded "that no ships
under the provisions of the 'Passengers
Act' could be depended upon for comfort
and security in the same degree as those
nnder his administration. The MOrmon
ship is a Family under strong and accepted
discipline, with every provision
3

418/Pratt and Smart 18
1 Doctrine and Covenants 29:8.
NOTES
2 Jane C. Robinson Hindley, Reminiscences and Diaries, Historical Department,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, hereinafter referred to as HDC, Salt
Lake City.
3 John W. Southwell Autobiography, HOC, Salt Lake City.
4 Autobiography of John Woodhouse, HDC, Salt Lake City.
5 The various British and American passenger acts are summarized in appendix A
of Terry Coleman, Passage to America: A History of Emigrants from Great Britain and
Ireland to America in the Mid-Nineteenth Century (London: Hutchinson & Co., 1972).
6 Great Britain, Parliamentary Papers (Commons), "Correspondence on the
Treatment of the Passengers on Board the Emigrant Ship Washington," 1851, (198) vol.
40; reprinted in Emigration (Shannon: Irish University Press, 1971), 22:403, 407.
Provo, Utah.
7 Diary of Samuel w. Richards, 1839-1874, 2:121, Brigham Yonng University,
8 Lord Houghton, Edinburgh Review, Jan. 1862, quoted in Charles Dickens, The
Uncommercial Traveler.
9 Dickens, The Uncommercial Traveler.
10 william Jeffries Reminiscences and Diary, HDC, Salt Lake City.
11 Journal of Alfred Cordon, HOC, Salt Lake City.
12 The earliest passenger acts, from 1803 to 1842, are discussed in K. A.
Walpole, "The Humanitarian M:>vement of the Early Nineteenth CEntury to Remedy Abuses
on Emigrant Vessels to America," Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 4th
ser. 14 (1931): 197-224.
13 Great Britain, Parliamentary Papers {Commons), "Second Report of the Select
Coomittee on Emigrant Ships,"1854 (349), vol. 13, pp. 109, 111; reprinted., Shannon:
Irish University Press, 1968.
Salt Lake City.
14 Joseph Greaves to William Greaves, 10 September 1897, MSD 3915, p. 2, HOC,
15 Jim Warner to John Kettle, Genealogical Department, The

418/Pratt and Smart 19
20 Orson Spencer to Orson Pratt, 10 April 1849, printed in Millennia! Star 11
(15 June 1849):185.
21 James B. Allen and Thomas G. Alexander, eds., Manchester Mormons: The
Journal of William Clayton, 1840 to 1842 (Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, Inc.,
1974), p. 173.
22 Quoted in Goleman, Passage to America, p. 20.
23 Samuel P. Horsley Record Book, HOC, Salt Lake City.
24 Journal of Zebulon Jacobs, HOC, S::tlt Lake City.
25 Millennial Star 11 (1 Dec. 1849):363.
26 Frank Driver Reeve, e4., "lDndon to Salt Lake City in 1866: The Diary of
William Driver," New Mexico Historical Review", Jan. 1942, pp. 41, 43, 46.
27 Autobiography of John WOodhouse, p. 11.
28 Millennial Star 4 (May 1843):15.
29 Millennial Star 18 (30 Aug. 1856):553-57. He goes on to aiscuss the need
for steam to be applied more liberally in ocean navigation.
30 The recitation was probably based on Parley P. Pratt's A Dialogue between
Joe. Smith and the Devil., first published in 1845.
Salt Lake City.
31 Millennial Star 13 (15 June 1851): 188-91.
32 Journal of Frederick C. Andrew, Sept. 1853 - May 1854, MSD 1864 p. 13, HDC,
33 Journal of Henry lbbbs, HOC, S::tlt Lake City.
34 Millennial Star 18 (30 Aug. 1856):556.
35 Journal of James Jack, HOC, S::tlt Lake City.
36 Ibid.
37 Millennial Star 13 (15 June 1851): 190-91.
38 Thanas F. Fisher to William Fisher, 29 May 1854: an extract fran this
letter appeared in the Millennia! Star 16 (15 July 1854): 446--48.
James Pennell.)
39 Allen and Alexarrler, eds., Manchester Mormons, p. 179.
40 william L. Cutler Diary, HOC, S::tlt Lake City. (Cutler presided over the
41 Millennial Star 11 (15 June 1849):183.
42 Joseph Greaves to William Greaves, 10 Sept. 1897.

418/Pratt and Smart 20
43 Autobiography of John Wbodhouse.
44 George Kirkman Bowering Journal, HOC, Salt Lake City. Used by pennission
of Bernon Jensen Auger.
Salt Lake City.
45 Journal of the Milo Andrus Einigrating Company, HOC, Salt Lake City.
46 wnliam Clayton to Edward Martin, 29 November 1840, MSD 3682, p. 1, HDC,

+:t-'
00
-"'d
Ill '"' r-t
r-t
[
r r-t
LOO SAILING VESSELS, 1840-1868
REFERENCES*
FOR \U'iACF.
YEAR SIZE
BUILT L II
PASSENCERS WAROO
PORT r:J!
LINE Em'RY CAPI'AIN TONS
VOYACE
(IN DAYS)
I.DS AVG
SAILJN::
SHIP DATE
1840
--s4
N.O. 420
Ales to 11 Har 1841
51,60,85, 95
1854 216. 42'
894 15
Hen R.
Black X N.Y. Hovey 1771
28
hnazon 04 Jun 1863
1849 162 '4 .. 34'
350
Red Swallow Tail N.Y. 864
36
American Congress 23 Hay 1866
1850 180' 38'
30
George E.
RedZ N.Y. Stouffer 1115
42
Antarctic 10 Jul 1859
1850 180' 38'
38
Red Z N.Y. 1115
Antarctic 18 Hay 1862
1850 180' 38'
486
Red z N.Y. 1115
49
Antarctic 23 Hay 1863
10,58
1841 161' 36'4"
402 6
Union Line N.O. Hills 967
58 37
Argo 10 Jan 1850
98
1855 197' 37 '6 ..
450 8
Danier p,
Dramatic N.Y. Caul kina 1244
37 37
Arkwr4:ht 30 Hay 1866
187
N.o. Harding 422
Ashland 06 Feb 1849
486
Gennan ( ?) N.Y. Schilling
Athenia 21 Apr 1862
96
1854 195'6" 39 '4 ..
636 9
T. w.
British ( ?) N.Y. Freeman 1399
33
Belle Wood 29 Apr 1865
65,122
1852 186 '8" 39 '9"
384 5
John
Tapscott N.O. DrUillllond 1457
48
Benjamin hlilllS 02 Feb 1854
117
1842
253
Alfred F,
New Line N.O. 9nith 613
47
Berlin OS Sep 1849
1826 132 '10" 32'6"
41
Enoch
Black Ball N.Y. Cook(?) 630
44 38
Brittania 06 Jun 1840
1857 183 '6" 37'6"
657
N.Y. 1192
37
B. s. Kimball 08 Hay 1863
43
1857 183'6" 37'6"
558 8
N.Y. Deerbom 1192
36
B. S. Kimball 10 Hay 1865
*See listing following this chart.
N
t-'

+:t-'
00
-"'d
1-1
Pl
rt
rt
1.00 SAILING VESSELS, 1840-1868
REFEREOCES*
FOR VOYAGE
YEAR SIZE
PASSENGERS WAIIDi BUILT L -- W
PORr

418/Pratt and Smart
JOURNAL AND OTHER ITEMS AVAILABlE
AT THE LDS CHURCH HISTORIAN'S OFFICE
1. Andrew, Frederick c. 26. Evans, Thomas D.
2. Andrus, Milo 27. Farmer, James
3. Arthur, Christopher Abel 28. Featherstone, Thomas
4. Bagnall, Cornelius 29. Fielding, Joseph
5. Baker, Jane Rio Griffiths 30. Fisher, Thomas F.
6. Ballantyne, Richard 31. Freckleton, John 0.
7. Barker, John Henry 32. Fullmer, John s.
8. Blake, F. w. 33. Gates, Jacob
9. Booth, John 34. Greaves, Joseph
10. Powering, George K. 35. Hall, James
11. Bray, Selina Reyson 36. Hansen, Peter Olsen
12. Brighton, William Stuart 37. Harris, George Henry
13. Bullock, Thomas 38. Harrison, Henry James
14. Bunker, Edward 39. Hart, John Isaac
15. Clayton, William 40. Higbee, John s.
16. Cluff, Hlrvey H. 41. Hindley, Jane C. Robinson
17. Cordon, Alfred 42. lb bbs, funry
18. Cowley, t1l thias 43. Holmgren, Perolof
19. Cumning, J .w. 44. Jack, James
20. Curtis, Dorr P. 45. Jacobs, Zebulon
21. Cutler, William 46. Jefferies, William
22. lliy, Thomas 47. Jeremy, Thomas E.
23. Durham, Thomas 48. Jones, Charles
24. Enery, funry 49. Jones, Dan
25. Evans, Priscilla M. 50. Jones, John Pidding
31

418/Pratt and Smart
51. Larken, Elijah
52. Larson, Christian J.
53. Leatham, James
54. levi, Richards
55. Linford, John
56. Lyon, John
57. Margetts, Philip
58. Margetts, Richard
59. Martin, Edward
60. M::Lachland, William
61. Musser, lmos Mil ton
62. N:!edham, John
63. Neibaur, Alexander
64. N:!il son, Peter
65. Neilson, Rasmus
66. N:!wton, James Lee
66A. Nield, John
67. Nielson, Andrew Cllristian
68. Nielson, Christian
69. Nielson, Peter
70. Openshaw, Samuel
71.

418/Pratt and Smart 33
REFERENCES IN THE
MILLENNIAL STAR (MS)
AUTHOR SHIP MS REFERENCE
104. Olympus 15 Aug. 1851, P• 255
105. Ellen Maria 15 Aug. 1851, P· 255
106. Jolm Angus Old England 3 June 1854, P• 346
107. Robert Campell Jolm M. Wood 10 June 1854, P• 366
108. Il:lniel Carn Windermere 3 June 1854, P• 345
109. Thanas H. Clarke James Pennell 11 Dec. 1849, P· 363
110. Moses Clawson Ellen Maria 16 Apr. 1853, P• 253
111. Richard Cook Germanic us 15 July 1854, P· 440
22 July 1854, PP• 462-63
ll2. J. W. Cumning "Ellen" 10 May 1851, PP· 158-59
113. Ibrr P. Curtis Golconda 22 Apr. 1854, P• 255
114. J. Ferguson Enoch Train 7 June 1856, pp. 353-55
115. William Howell Olympus 15 June 1851, PP• 188-91
116. Jolm Jaques Horizon 28 June 1856, PP• 411-13
30 Aug. 1856, PP• 553-57
117. Thanas McKenzie Berlin 1 Dec. 1849, PP• 363-64
James Pennell
118. Robert Reid Swanton May 1843, PP• 14-15
119. Anna F. Thit Thornton 26 July 1856, PP• 478-79
120. James Thanpson Lucy Thanpson 27 Sep. 1856, P• 623
121. Theodore Turley North lmerica 23 Feb. 1856, P• 121
122. Jolm VanCott Benjamin Adams 11 Feb. 1854, PP• 94-95
123. George D. Watt Ellen Maria 1 July 1851, P• 200
Ellen Maria 15 Aug. 1851, P· 255
Sidney 6 Mar. 1858, P• 152
124. Jolm Williams Columbia 14 Feb. 1857, P· 106

418/Pratt and Smart
AUTHOR
125. George Halliday
126. William G. Hartley
127. Ole A. Jensen
128. John Kettle
129. Mary Ann W. Maughan
REFERENCES IN
MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES
SHIP
Jersey
International
John J. Boyd
Samuel Curling
Harmony
SOURCE
34
Diary of George Halliday,
1823-1900, pp. 123-24;
Genealogical Society Library,
call no. 921.73
H155h
New Era, Sept. 1973, pp.
6-9
Kate B. Carter, comp. , Our
Pioneer Heritage, 20 vols.
(Salt Lake City: Daughters
of Utah Pioneers, 1958-77),
7:33-36
"List of Members • • • and
Letters and Notes on the
Warner and Kettle Families
of Spanish Fork, Utah,"
mimeographed (Salt Lake
City, 1957); Genealogical
Society Library, call no.
Q942 Al 1!55.
Carter, comp. , Our Pioneer
Heritage, 2:356-61